Leafenia. The Garden of Leafe. A paradise world shaped like a bubble, in which Leafe, the source of all life, thrives and flourishes in all its wondrous manifestations. It is a world which throbs with life, but also a world of peace and rest. Darkness and disturbance only exist there if you will it to be.

Once in every lifetime, the seven elements in which all Leafe can be divided give birth to seven Knights, the protectors of Leafe born from the Mother Tree. Wind, Water, Plants, Fire, Ice, Light and Sound. And once there are seven Knights, a Prétear is born; their Princess of Life, the embodiment of Leafe itself. When the Leafe is threatened by the birth of a Fenrir, the Princess of Disaster, she is there to restore life and bring back peace, with the aid of the seven Elemental Knights of Leafe.

At the moment, none of those things mattered to Sasame and Takako.

The day was bright, the other side of the world a colourful fresco against the sky. A light breeze made the flowers around them dance. They were laying in a field, all by themselves, with no other people to be found anywhere in the world they were in. They'd all thoughtfully retreated to Earth for the occasion.

Takako was stretched out on her back, one arm supporting her head as se stroked Sasame's hair. He was curled up beside her, like a cat, his head resting on her stomach. His usually calm, controlled face had relaxed in sleep, giving him an almost childlike innocence and tranquillity. Takako liked watching him sleep. His silvery white hair easily made him look old (though not quite 'beyond his years'), but when he was like this, the lines in his face smoothed out and he looked utterly peaceful and serene, like he'd never learned the meaning of sorrow.

It helped her forget the long years they had spent in captivity, their bodies frozen in time while their hearts lived through every agonizing, heartbreakingly lonely day and night. There was no time here, amidst the flowers, bathing in the gentle sunlight. No past filled with lingering pain and regret, no future that always held so many insecurities, no duties or debts. Just Sasame and Takako. Sasame, who loved Takako. And Takako, who loved Sasame. Takako's gaze momentarily lingered on the simple white-gold band around her finger.

Leafenia was the perfect place for a honeymoon.

It had taken her too long to realise it. When she had, it had been too late. But the Leafe and its keeper, the Prétear, had granted her a miracle. And now here they were. Husband and wife, united for all of eternity.

Sasame stirred. Takako caressed his cheek, and he brought an arm up to take her hand and press it to his lips before opening his eyes. For a while they said nothing, simply enjoying the sight, the precense of each other.

Takako smiled. "Did you dream of me?"

"I always dream of you." he answered, unconsciously confirming Takako's thoughts that nothing could separate them, let alone mere sleep. He had been in all of her dreams too ever since they had come together. She began running her fingers through his hair again. "So, what happened in your dream?"

Sasame obediently tilted his head to allow her to trace a line from his cheekbone to his collar, meeting her gaze with half-lidded purple eyes and a seductive smile. "You were playing with my hair. Just like you're doing now. And I... was listening." He closed his eyes , his smile almost as childishly joyous as his sleeping expression had been.

"To what?" Takako loved to hear him say it, because she knew he loved to tell her.

"To you."

She giggled. "To the churning of my stomach?"

"To the beating of your heart." he whispered. "To this very special hea..." His eyes opened wide as his voice trailed off. He pressed his ear more tightly against her stomach.

"Sasame?" For a moment he didn't respond, his gaze unfocussed. "Sasame? Is something wrong with my lunch?" He blinked as if awakening from a trance and lifted his head. Takako sat up beside him and he cupped her cheek, smiling widely.

"Nothing's wrong, Takako. But I think I could just hear your thoughts."

Takako searched his face carefully. His smile was too warm to be hiding something. She laughed her irrational fear off and said: "Sasame, you really are one of a kind."

"Then consider yourself lucky, because I'm all yours." And he leaned forward to kiss her.

She did consider herself lucky.

That afternoon eventually came to an end, and the days of that seemingly endless summer passed lazily, at just the right pace for Sasame and Takako. When then nerves and tire of the wedding and everything preceding it had been replaced by renewed joy for life, slowly the wish began to surface to return to Earth, to move on to the next stage of their lives. The day Takako left the fields of Leafenia for a doctor's appointment on Earth was the pivotal point, and a very symbolic day indeed.

She could hardly believe what she was told. Her mind was reeling on her way back the house in to Leafenia, so much she almost took a wrong turn on the Path of Light - a one-way path. Once she slumped down on the bed she shared with Sasame and ran her hand over the smooth fabric absently. Sasame, too, had left that day to check up on things at the radio station for his imminent return, so Takako was alone in the spacious house. Himeno had been kind enough to lend the newlyweds the house the Knights had rebuilt for her. Interestingly enough, the two-person bed had already been there, and the house had only one bedroom which was, maybe even more mysteriously considering who built and decorated it, furnished with consideration to womanly needs.

Trivialities like that didn't take away the haze from her mind, Takako noticed. But what was there not to believe? All the conditions had been met. Their bodies were healthy and their hearts in love. And they weren't children anymore, not by far. The bed she was sitting on held many memories of the opposite. All the symptoms matched. It was true. It had really happened. Suddenly she felt giddy and light-headed, and couldn't wait for Sasame to come home. But until he returned from the radio station she contended herself with all the sweetness she could find.

Her kiss tasted of marzipan. He wrapped an arm around her waist and used the other to absorb the impact of her body colliding with his and steady himself against the doorframe. When she finally released him, he was panting.

"Am I that predictable? I haven't even told you about the amount of displeased fan mail concerning my marriage with you yet. You know that no matter how hard they try, I won't trade you for anything."

Takako laughed and pecked him on the cheek, taking his hands in hers - but not before positioning him with his back firmly against the door. "Sasame, there's something I want to tell you."

He smiled. There was only one thing this could be about. "So you finally went to see a doctor?" Sasame chuckled at his young wife's surprised expression. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to start handing out clues myself."

A sign appeared in Takako's head: Hold on for a moment. Will be right back after reality has been retrieved. Little Tipis were drawn chugging between the words.

"Y - you already..." She remembered that day in the fields, and his peculiar smile, and all the times they had lain like that together afterwards. Her eyes widened. "All this time. You already knew..."

Smack.

"You jerk! You knew and you didn't tell me!"

He rubbed his cheek sheepishly. "It was too early. I didn't bring it to your attention in case something would go wrong. Just in case. I didn't want to risk you getting hurt more than necessary."

Takako raised her hand again, poised for another slap, but changed her mind and dropped it to her side stiffly, balling it to a fist. She stomped her foot in frustration. "Geeze, do you always have to be so perfect, even when you do something which infuriates me? How can I stay mad when you're all considerate and protective and caring like that?" she whined. "I wanted to surprise you! For once, tell you something that would render the Knight of Sound speechless."

"You can still tell me, if you want. I'll play the surprised newly-announced father." Sasame offered.

It sounded tempting. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

Takako sighed and dropped her head on his shoulder. "Oh... Fine then, you're still sweet.

Okay..." She took a deep breath, pushed off and jumped into his arms, hugging him so tightly it was more like squeezing. "Sasame, I'm pregnant!" And just so he'd at least appear to be speechless, she kissed him full on the lips.